Don't Ever Change
by RainbowSerenity
Summary: /Oneshot, SoraxKairi, Minor KH2 spoilers/ He had been through so much, seen so much heartbreak and destruction...and yet he was somehow still the same...


_Hey there...hmm, well most of you probably don't know me..I'm...RainbowSerenity. o.O This is my first Kingdom Hearts fic...after completing both of them, I just knew I HAD to write something Kingdom Hearts related. I mean, just TRY and find a cooler concept! -runs around screaming like the fangirl she is-_

_-Ahem- Anywhoodle, this is basically Sora x Kairi fluff that takes place a bit after the ending of KHII. Extremely minor spoilers in here for the unlucky people who haven't played the game yet. ;P Aaaand...I believe that's it. I shall hush up and now present to you... _

**Don't Ever Change**

"Arrrguh."

Sora growled at the infernal chopsticks, which he was attempting to use as a utensil. Of course, it would've been much _easier_ to eat his snack with a fork instead, but it was a particularly nice day on Destiny Islands, and the spiky-haired boy wanted to eat on the beach, so he had grabbed the only utensil he could plainly see—a pair of killer wooden chopsticks. Now he was reeeeally regretting it.

"Hold it between this finger...and then move it like that..." Sora muttered, trying to remember exactly how to _use _the darn things. He was so concentrated on this task that he didn't hear someone sneak up behind him.

"Guess who!" Soft hands came up from behind Sora and covered his eyes. Startled by this, he let out a cry and flopped backwards, landing on the sand, only to see Kairi holding out her hands in sweet surrender, a small smile on her face.

"Thanks a lot Kairi!" Sora joked. "Those chopsticks could've put my eyes out, you know."

"But they didn't, you lazy bum," she teased right back, snatching the pair from his hand. "You weren't even holding them correctly, anyway."

Sora sat up, shaking the sand from his spiky brown hair. "Well, that's probably because Yuffie's the one who taught me how to use them."

Kairi raised an eyebrow.

"..._Tried _to teach me."

The redhead let out a sigh. "I dunno, Sora...from the brief time I met Yuffie, she seemed awfully energetic, but not really the greatest teacher." Kairi expertly held the chopsticks and swiftly took a piece of Sora's snack, chewing thoughtfully. "Now, if you had asked _me _to teach you..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sora murmured, crossing his arms behind his head. He sighed happily, even though this was a normal, everyday kind of scene on Destiny Islands—and yet, it was all the Keyblade master had wanted ever since he had found himself in Traverse Town. When he had been reunited with Kairi and Riku in that fake Twilight Town, it was as if he was living a dream.

And now, to be sitting on his island next to Kairi while she laughed about his lack of chopstick usage was...well...so totally normal that Sora was convinced that he couldn't even _dream _of anything better.

Kairi then put the chopsticks down, hugging her knees to her chest and staring out at the ocean. "You ever think about those times?"

"Huh?"

She smiled. He could be _so _dense sometimes. "When we were all out there...in those other worlds. When we were out searching for each other..."

"Which reminds me," Sora interrupted, glancing at Kairi and raising an eyebrow. "How come you left looking for me and Riku anyway? I _promised _I was going to come back to you."

"I know," she whispered. "I just...I just couldn't take waiting," she sighed, resting her head on her knees. "When I finally realized just how long you'd been gone, and that you weren't going to stop until you found Riku, I just...I _had _to find you, Sora. I told you before that I couldn't just forget about you, no matter what."

"Kairi..." Sora drew in a breath. "Kairi, even if I never did end up finding Riku...even if something had happened to him...and even if I had lost everyone else...I would've still found a way to come back to you. You...you've proved, time and time again, that you're my light. _No one else, _Kairi."

She was looking at him now, not quite smiling, yet happiness still shining in her eyes anyway. "Sora..."

"Not to mention you're one of my best friends, and you always will be..." He took her hand. "...Because you'll always be right here." He placed her hand to his chest, giving her the rest of her smile.

"Sora," she repeated, a bit stunned. Sometimes, when she just gave him a quick glance, she'd see the boy he once was; the boy who was unknowing, unsure of himself, and yet still followed his heart. But now she was one of the few who could see him for what he truly was: the boy who had seen and felt so much darkness, barely hanging on to his last shred of light. The boy who had witnessed so much pain and destruction, never really knowing whether or not he was ultimately the cause of it all. The mature, knowledgeable boy who had still held on to and believed in that last hope, knowing it was all he had.

The Keyblade master.

The _true _light of hope.

He had changed so much...and yet...in many ways, he hadn't at all.

Kairi's hand, which was still pressed against his chest, moved to cover his. "You know, lately I've been wondering 'what if'. Like, what _if _my heart had really been lost forever? What if I had never found you or Riku? What if I'd stayed here waiting and waiting and waiting for you and you never came back to me? What if—"

"Kairi." She looked up to see that he was grinning; the goofy kind that always caused her to crack a smile herself. "You don't have to wonder. I mean, you could never lose your heart again."

"How?"

"Our hearts are connected," he grinned again. He slid his hand out of Kairi's and poked her in the chest, right at her heartbeat. "Just like that. And they _always _will be."

"Really?"

"Yes," he smiled. "And like I said, even if I had never found Riku, I promised that I would come back to you." His eyes grew more serious, though the smile didn't leave his face. "I would never break a promise to you, Kairi."

"Sora..." The girl was at a loss for words, just simply staring at him as he stabbed his snack with a chopstick, not even attempting to try again and use them properly, and chewed quietly. Her gaze shifted from him out to the ocean, which bordered the sunset perfectly.

"Sora..." she said again, a thought suddenly coming into her mind. "What have we been eating, anyway?"

He swallowed and let out another silly grin. "Paopu fruit."

Her mouth fell open, but quickly closed with a snap. "Why...?"

"I saw the drawing in the secret place," he laughed. "I figured you wouldn't mind."

Instead of answering him, Kairi paused for a second before tackling Sora into the sand in a hug, clutching him like he was her only hope in the world.

Sora was stunned for a moment before hesitantly putting his arms around Kairi, securing her against him. He realized he wouldn't mind laying here like this for a long time; just him and...his light.

"Sora?"

He blinked up at her in question, relaxing even more when she grabbed his hand and slowly intertwined their fingers. He barely registered how close their faces were until she spoke right before they closed the small gap between them during this particularly nice sunset on the shores of Destiny Islands.

"...Don't ever change."

---

_-sighs dreamily- Ah, fluff. My specialty. ;D Like I said, this was my first Kingdom Hearts fic, so I really hope it turned out okay...-grins hopefully- I'd really appreciate it if you would please leave a **review **letting me know how I did! You get a cookie if you do:D_


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